1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a disposable burner illuminator device for use with combustible oil. More particularly, the device is designed for use in vegetable salad oil and water lamps as an illuminator device or in chafing or warming vessels as a burner device.
More specifically, the invention relates to a preassembled, ready-to-use, disposable unit comprised of a flotation collar having a small wick attached to the-center thereof as well as to kits for such devices. It is designed preferably for a single use as a burner illuminator device to float a live flame upon a body of vegetable oil placed on the top of water in a vessel for use as a practical source of useful light and/or heat energy.
2. Background of the Prior Art:
The principle of floating a live flame upon oil as a source of useful illumination and heat energy is ancient and predates the invention of the candle. An of such early devices is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,786. A number of illuminator and burner devices have been suggested in modern times, all of which are intended for repeated use; that is, they are of the more permanent type, buoyant flotation collars, designed to receive a fresh replacement wick to renew the burned out wick previously employed. An example of such arrangements are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,183,688 and 2,246,346. Such devices are generally more elaborate, more expensive and with continued use are ultimately less efficient than the device herein described. The chief objection to these more permanent type devices is the maintenance required, which is an unpleasant, messy, oily task of washing the device in warm soapy water, a necessary chore to remove the residual oil that clings to the device after use, which must be removed before storing away for reuse; failure to do so results in a sticky dust collector, becoming a dirty, inefficient device that could become a dangerous fire hazard if continually stored and reused without cleaning. But usually such devices are discarded long before their full potential usefulness because of the unpleasant maintenance required.
In any case, even if well maintained, such devices decrease in efficiency with increased usage and offer false fuel economy and decreasing efficient light and heat energy in the long run.